Photos by Armin Ausejo & Mike Bowen – Text by Armin Ausejo
For the past couple years, Subarus have turned into the juggernauts of the car show scene, especially in the Pacific Northwest. Among these juggernauts is a 2005 STI owned by Jeff Hill. The Portland, OR area resident has become quite the car show veteran and most recently took home Best of Show at the NWMotiv International Automotive Showcase back in August. A quick glimpse of the car may be enough for most people to understand its success, but therein lies hidden details about Jeff’s car that separate it from just being a nice Subaru to being a Best of Show winner.
Jeff moved to the Subaru world from his SRT-4, after realizing the STI’s show and power potential back in 2005. He went through a number of different body styling and engine power setups, trying to compromise as little as possible in achieving his goal of having the most complete STI he could build. At first look, the complete Voltex body kit and GT wing reach out and smack all onlookers, often resulting in a love/hate relationship among many. Nevertheless, from the body kit to the LightWerkz Honda S2000 retrofitted projectors, to the paint-matched Seibon CW-style hood and hood scoop, Jeff’s car sets the tone for standing out and being in your face. But, as anyone who browses NWMotiv knows, looking good on the outside is relatively meaningless if there isn’t anything under the hood to back it up.
Beneath the painstakingly cared for exterior sits the STI’s standard 2.5L motor putting out as much power as possible without internals. The Treadstone/Turbonetics rotated turbo kit and intercooler setup, complete with Ultimate Racing injectors and fuel rails, Tial 44mm external wastegate, and Surgeline-tuned Cobb Accessport net 513 whp and 494 wtq on Q16 race gas at 26.7 psi. A large collection of supporting mods ranging from dual Walbro fuel pumps to GrimmSpeed phenolic thermal spacers help keep the motor happy, while replacing as many engine bay lines as possible with stainless steel braided lines shows Jeff’s attention to detail. Very few stock rubber hoses can be seen in the engine bay, and many of the lines have been tucked under the intake manifold to provide less confusion and clutter.
The attention to detail continues throughout the interior and in-car entertainment, which also continue to reach out and smack all onlookers. Red and black dominate the cockpit, with rear seats and door cards reupholstered in red to match the front Sparco Torino 2s, whereas black Alcantara suede encompasses the headliner and dash areas to match the black carpets. Even the Defi BF series gauges are red and black, allowing everything in the interior to match as much as possible. A custom fiberglass trunk enclosure houses four MB Quart amps and two Alpine 12-inch subwoofers, along with ZEX N2O bottles for the intercooler sprayer.
Of course, none of this would do much good without a proper suspension to match, and Jeff accomplished this first with a set of Cusco Zero2R coilovers, front and rear strut bars, rear triangle brace, camber adjustable lateral links, engine and transmission mounts, and a rear subframe brace. Whiteline front and rear sway bars with sport anti-lift kit and roll center adjustment kit help keep the wheels and tires planted firmly, while GT-Spec braces take care of all the other lose ends. To ensure that the power is transferred to the ground properly, Jeff went with a set of 18×9.5 Volk LE28Ns wrapped in 265/35/18 Hankook Ventus R-S3 tires. The fat tire width provides function along with flushness, which typically cannot be said for many of participants of the incorrect fitment fad.
While Jeff’s car looks complete as it is, more changes are still on the way since these photos were taken. Jeff has a new set of wheels incoming soon to keep things fresh for next year’s car show season. We’ll no doubt see more from Jeff’s car in the coming months, and hope to have him back next year to defend his Best of Show trophy.
| POWER/ENGINE BAY
-Turbonetics GT-K 500 rotated turbo (513whp/494wtq on Q16 @26.7psi on a Mustang Dyno, 462whp/460wtq on Q16 @29psi on a Dyno Dynamics Dyno) -Treadstone 304 stainless steel downpipe with replumbed dump tube -Treadstone 304 stainless steel up pipe -Treadstone 3.5″ anodized red powder coated cold air intake with black silicone couplers -K&N 3.5″ cone air filter -Treadstone stealth black 4.5” core FMIC -Treadstone anodized red powder coated aluminum intercooler piping with black silicone couplers -Treadstone stainless steel oil catch can with braided stainless steel hoses and A/N fittings -Treadstone stainless steel heat shield -Full Blown in tank dual Walbro fuel pump hanger -Two (2) Walbro 255lph fuel pumps -Ultimate Racing top feed fuel rail kit with braided stainless steel hoses and A/N fittings -Ultimate Racing 1260cc top feed fuel injectors -Tial anodized red 44mm external wastegate -Tial anodized red Bv 50mm VTA blow off valve -Gallery anodized red engine bay dress up kit -Turbosmart anodized red billet aluminum oil cap -Turbosmart eBoost2 40psi Sleeper Series EBC -NGK one step colder plugs -Cusco exhaust manifold header -Coolingmist CMGS FS methanol injection kit with failsafe -ZEX direct port N2O (plumbed but not tuned) -Cobb AccessPORT v2 -Red Line synthetic fluids throughout -HKS Carbon-TI exhaust -Go Fast Bits 3 piece lightened pulley kit with belts -Mishimoto polished aluminum radiator -Mishimoto black silicone radiator hose set -GrimmSpeed 160 degree TSTAT -GrimmSpeed PnP intake manifold with black thermal coating -GrimmSpeed TGV deletes with black thermal coating -GrimmSpeed 8mm phenolic thermal spacers -GrimmSpeed 2.5mm multi-layer stainless steel exhaust gaskets -Subtle Solutions black alternator cover -Subtle Solutions black radiator shroud -Color matched black fluid reservoir covers -Gruppe-S carbon fiber hood dampers -Turbo XS coolant overflow tank -Forge Motorsport polished aluminum power steering tank -A/C delete -P-R-E custom fabricated N2O stainless steel bracket with braided stainless steel fuel hoses and A/N fittings -P-R-E custom fabricated Russell Performance competition fuel filter with braided stainless steel hoses and A/N fittings -P-R-E custom fabricated polished aluminum coolant reservoir with braided stainless steel hoses and A/N fittings -P-R-E custom fabricated methanol reservoir -Killer B Motorsport black powder coated windshield washer reservoir INTERIOR -Defi amber BF series 60mm boost gauge -Defi amber BF series 60mm oil temperature gauge -Defi amber BF series 60mm EGT gauge -Defi Link Control Unit II -Carbon fiber 60mm triple gauge hood -Carbon fiber instrument gauge cluster bezel -Coolingmist 52mm CMGS FS black face gauge mounted in A pillar pod -TurboSmart eBoost 2 Sleeper Series 66mm black face gauge custom mounted in A pillar pod -Autometer dual A pillar pod custom wrapped in Alcantara black suede -Works Bell Team Orange 350mm leather steering wheel w/autographed hub by Samuel Hubinette and Tanner Foust -Works Bell Team Orange Rapfix II quick release disconnect -Works Bell Short Boss hub -Gentex K31 auto dimming rear view mirror with compass, temp & map lights -Sparco Torino 2 front seats in red jacquard fabric -Sparco reupholstered rear seat in red jacquard fabric -Sparco reupholstered door cards in red jacquard fabric -Sparco harness bar powder coated in gloss black -Sparco black 6 point harnesses -Sparco red competition harness pads -Alcantara black suede headliner, pillars and visors -Alcantara black suede upper dash with red stitching -Alcantara black suede lower dash, upper door cards with “STiyiyi” logo, glove box, armrest and center console with red stitching -Dyed seatbelt anchors, panic handles, Spec C roof vent trim and dome light trim in matte black -WRX black carpet -Black STi floor mats -Two ZEX “Blackout” 10 lb. N2O bottles custom fabricated in the rear deck -Two custom fabricated billet aluminum N2O bottle brackets -JDM red hazard button -JDM S203/S204 12 piece black trim dash kit -JDM S203/S204 STi shifter trim with leather boot -JDM S203/S204 style leather shift knob with cherry red pattern 6MT -Amerex 2.5 Lb. dry chemical fire extinguisher -Autospeed dead pedal -Custom LED footwell lighting |
EXTERIOR
-JDM S203/S204 clear side marker lamps -JDM Spec C roof vent -JDM rain guards -20% window tint -45% windshield tint -Volk Racing LE28N 18×9.5 wheels +42 in Glossy Black -Volk Racing Limited Edition Black GT center caps -H&R 10mm magnesium/aluminum hubcentric front and rear wheel spacers -Rolled and pulled front fenders -Cut and pulled rear fenders -Project Kics R40 Neo-Chrome titanium lug nuts -Hankook Ventus R-S3 265/35/ZR18 extreme performance summer tires -NRG carbon fiber roof vane -NRG carbon fiber flush hood pins -Hella Supertones (blacked out) -Seibon CW style carbon fiber hood with blacked out vents color matched in CGM -Seibon CW style carbon fiber reversed hood scoop accented in CGM -Seibon carbon fiber trunk lid color matched in CGM -Carbign Craft carbon fiber rear license plate backing bracket -Voltex side skirts with blacked out vents -Voltex Type-5 V-Mount Evo IX 1500mm carbon fiber GT wing -Voltex carbon fiber rear under tray -Voltex front bumper with custom shaved license plate bracket and blacked out vents -Voltex single plane canards -Voltex front under wing (ordered) -Ganador carbon fiber motorized Super Aero mirrors -Varis carbon fiber B pillar garnish -L’aunsport carbon fiber C pillar garnish -Custom debadged, pillarless, fiberglassed and painted front grille -Nukabe red front and rear tow hooks -LightWerkz custom headlamps consisting of: * Honda S2K projectors * Amber removal * BMW Quad Angel Eyes * BMW E46 replica shrouds * Custom painted inner housings and projectors * 7440 Chrome amber bulbs * 194 Superwhite LED Bulbs SUSPENSION/DRIVETRAIN/BRAKES -Whiteline sport anti-lift kit -Whiteline steering bushings kit -Whiteline 27-29mm adjustable front swaybar -Whiteline 22-26mm adjustable rear swaybar -Whiteline roll center adjustment kit -Whiteline rear differential mount bushings kit -Whiteline front and rear 14mm camber bolt kit -Hotchkis competition front high articulation ball joint end links -Hotchkis competition rear high articulation ball joint end links -Cusco Zero 2R coilovers -Cusco front strut tower bar -Cusco rear strut tower bar -Cusco rear strut tower triangle brace -Cusco trailing arms -Cusco lateral links (camber adjustable) -Cusco engine mounts -Cusco transmission mount -Cusco rear subframe brace -GT Spec front lower tie brace -GT Spec rear T brace set -GT Spec 3 piece subframe set -GT Spec 4 point ladder brace -GT Spec differential mount bar -Kartboy tranny crossmember bushings kit -Kartboy short shifter with front and rear bushings -Kartboy pitch stop -Kartboy exhaust hangers -Kartboy rear subframe outrigger bushings -Rotora Front & Rear Big Brake Kit consisting of: * 6 Piston cast aluminum red front calipers * 4 Piston cast aluminum red rear calipers * 355x32mm Front e-coated rotors (2 piece cross drilled and slotted) * 330x30mm Rear e-coated rotors (2 piece cross drilled and slotted) * Rotora street performance pads * Anodized black caliper mounting brackets * Braided stainless steel brake lines -ARP longer wheel studs -ATE Super Blue racing brake fluid -TIC shift linkage bushings -TIC 6MT pivot bushings -Beatrush propeller shaft mounts -Goodridge braided stainless steel clutch cable -Custom alignment by PSI -3.0* camber in front and -2.0* camber in the rear with 4.8* caster and -.11* toe in front and +10* toe in the rear |
I.C.E.
-Kenwood Excelon DNX8120 All-in-One Navigation/DVD Entertainment System including: * In-dash DVD/CD player with 6.95″ color touchscreen display * 50 watts x 4 plus Three pairs of Pre Amp Outputs * New GUI with Changeable Skin and Customizable Start-up * Built-in Garmin Navigation * Built-in Bluetooth receiver * Built-in 5.1 decoding * Dual-zone controls * 24-bit D/A converter * 13-band EQ with six preset tone curves * Sound Management System (S.M.S.) with controls for vehicle size, speaker sizes, digital time alignment, and high- and low-pass filters -Kenwood HD Radio interface -Kenwood KCA-iP500 iPod control interface -Two (2) MB Quart RAA 1000 watt mono amplifiers -Two (2) MB Quart RAA 2400 400 watt x 2 stereo amplifiers -MB Quart QSD 216 6.5″ front component speakers with A pillar relocated tweeters -Morel MT-23 double neodymium magnet and Acuflex coated soft dome tweeters -MB Quart QSD 213 5.25″ rear component speakers relocated in the rear deck -Two (2) Alpine SWX-1224D 12” subwoofers pressure tested to over 140db -StreetWires speaker wire, power cables and interconnects -Nine (9) sheets of Dynamat installed underneath the entire floor, doors and trunk -Two (2) Kinetik KHC1400 12 Volt High Current Power Cells relocated in the custom trunk enclosure -Kinetik KIPS12-60 Power Supply power inverter -Custom black piano finish lacquered MB Quart amplifiers -Custom fabricated fiberglass trunk enclosure with LED lighting -Custom LED lighting in engine bay and intercooler The sound system was installed in a custom trunk enclosure that included two ZEX N2O bottles being molded into the rear deck. Both of the Alpine subs were installed in a vented ported fiberglass enclosure that also houses the two Kinetik HC1400 High Current Power Cells. Both sets of tweeters in the component speakers were custom located and installed for optimum performance. The inside of the trunk lid houses the four MB Quart crossovers molded into a custom acrylic “Sti” logo finished with LED lighting. All four MB Quart amplifiers were custom painted with a gloss black piano lacquer finish and topped off with a clear coat. The setup was voted Car Toys install of the year for 2005.
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Amazing! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a totally different topic but it has pretty much the same layout and design. Great choice of colors!